House Energy Committee Votes to Delay Rules Affecting Gas Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee voted yesterday to study and delay Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) potential rules that would affect the price of gasoline, reported Bloomberg.

In a 28-13 vote, the committee approved legislation that would prohibit the EPA from requiring reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions from refineries or use of lower polluting sulfur in gasoline while a government panel studies what effects regulations will have on prices, the news outlet reported.

According to the news source, the EPA hasn't proposed either regulation yet and Democrats have said it makes no sense that unissued rules have sent gasoline prices higher.

"This is a messaging bill that's going nowhere," Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), told Bloomberg. "I think we all understand what we're doing here now, because, we're in a silly season."

As CSNews Online has reported, prices of regular gasoline were expected to rise to a nationwide average above $5 during the summer driving season. However, as gasoline prices have recently retreated, experts believe they may have already reached their 2012 peak.